Method of making reel-pictures in motion photography.



, C. A. BIRCH-FIELD. U

METHOD OF MAKING REEL PICTURES IN MOTION PHOTOGRAPHY.

APPLICATION FILED ma.24.191s.

1,164,252. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

INVENTOR.

WLAW

ATTORNE Y.

CHARLES A. BIRCH-FIELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

. METHOD OF MAKING REEL-PICTURES IN MOTION PHOTOGRAPHY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application filed March 24, 1915. Serial No. 16,776.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CnAnLns A. Bmorr FIELD. a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Methods of Making Reel-Pictures in Motion Photography, of which the following\ is alspecification.

Tlii invention relates to the method of making reel pictures in motion photography.

The object of the invention is to provide a method of prodl cing in motion photography the operation of making articles of sculpture, clay or other forms of figures, busts, statues or the like.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing,Figure 1 shows an article of sculpture as employed at the beginning of the process embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows the article of sculpture during one portion of the photographing process. Fig. 3 shows the article of sculpture at the completion of the photographing process. Figs. 4, 5, 6, show the order in which the photigraphs of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are projected on the screen by a projecting machinein accordance with my invention.

Heretofore it has been impossible to make reel pictures such as are used in motion p110 tography, to reproduce the operation of making articles of sculpture, statues, figures, busts or the like. The reason thereof is apparent. The process of modeling, for illustration purposes, the bust of a well known person, is a long and tedious one, requiring specific artistic skill and ability and usually a great length of time. It would be impossible to take moving pictures of the operation on that account, as a reel of pictures so taken would be of impractical length and too expensive for commercial use, while at the same time, to correctly display the complete operation it would be impossible to omit any part of the reel. In addition thereto, the

, artist would be under a great strain throughout his work realizing that great speed is required of him, and that any mistake made would greatly lengthen the reel of pictures or completely spoil the same.

It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide a method for making reel pictures for projecting in. motion photogra by, which reel pictures, when projected, will portray the operation of molding or otherwise producing by hand or,

therwise, articles of sculpturestatues, figures, busts or the like wherein the originals may be made at the leisure of the artist, and consequently wherein the full artistic genius of the artist may be applied in supplying the essential and desirable details without the strain or tension imposed by the necessity of speedy and accurate work.

In accordance with my invention I employ a completely finished article of sculpture, statue or the like, done in clay, wax, or any other desired or suitable composition or material, as shown in Fig. 1 with a consistency which will permit of its being worked or molded by hand or otherwise. The artist or manipulator then works or molds the article of sculpture, statue or the like with his hands, fingers or modeling tools, or otherwise, into a shapeless mass of material as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 while motion pictures are taken of the operation.

In order to produce the effect in motion pictures projected from the reel pictures so taken, of the operation of making or model ing the original article of sculpture, statue or the like, it is only necessary to run the reel pictures through the projecting machine in reverse order, that is, commencing with the shapeless mass of material as shown in Fig. 4which is its condition at'the end of the foregoing operation, and then projecting the motion or reel pictures in reversev order until the completed article of sculpture, statue or the like appears in the projected pictures, which is the condition of the article of sculpture, statue or the like at the beginning of the operation above described.

In this manner the operation of modeling,

or making an article of sculpture or the like is reproduced in all the details thereof, While at the same time, in producing the original the artist is unhampered with regard to time and strain while the operation of making or molding the completed model or article of sculpture back into a shapeless mass may be accomplished by unskilled and cheap labor.

If desired the completed model may be inverted throughout the operation or manipulation of remodeling the same into a shapeless mass, to allow the same surface of the film negative of the reel of the pictures taken thereof to be presented to the source of light employed in the projecting machine even though the film is run through that machine in the reverse order, but my invention, in its laroacle st scope, as defined in the claims, is

"het to be'limited inthis respect.

Having now set forth the object and na ture oi. my invention, and the method or proci involved what claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of maliing and projecting motion pictures to pertray the operation of making articles 01" sculpture, statuary or the like which consists in first producing the artide of sculpture 0r statuary their Working or reiriodeling the same into a slmpeless: mass and taking reel pictures uf the remodeling ogiru' itiriu; and finally running iiie reel picl'eJIQE- in reverse ercler threugh 2i projecting machine.

The method which consists in proilue ing an article of sculpture, statue or the like, then manipulating the same means of the hands 0r modeling tools iut a slmpeless mess and taking; reel pictures of said manipuluiieusx and finally running the reel pictures in reverse order threugh. a projecting mavhiue,

3.5. ".ilie .n'ietlioil which consists in producing; an article u'f sculpture, statue or the like in plastic conilitiun, then mani iulating the smue by menus of theifingers or modeling teuls and taking reel 'iictures'during said manipulations and finally running the reel pictures in reverse order through project ing machine.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the euliscribing witnesssas, on this will (lay of March A. 1).,

Clilfil iblfit A. ilHRCH-FHILD.

V-Fitiiesses Jesurrr S. Neinox, i Vie. L, BIRCILFIELD. 

